DUBAI – Spinner Bilal Asif removed menacing Ross Taylor to bring Pakistan within six wickets of a series-levelling victory in the second Test in Dubai on Tuesday.

Asif had Taylor caught off an uppish sweep for 82 before New Zealand reached 222-4 at lunch on the fourth day, still needing 106 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

At the break, Henry Nicholls, who successfully reviewed a second-ball leg-before decision on nought, was unbeaten on 31 with BJ Watling 16 not out. New Zealand lead the three-match series 1-0 after winning the first Test by four runs in Abu Dhabi.

Taylor smashed seven boundaries and a six during his aggressive 128-ball knock and added a valuable 80 runs for the third wicket with Tom Latham who fell for 50.

New Zealand were forced to follow-on after superb bowling by leg-spinner Yasir Shah, who took 8-41 to dismiss them for a paltry 90 on Monday.

Resuming at 131-2 Taylor smashed medium pacer Hasan Ali's first ball of the day to cover boundary to reach his 29th half century in Tests.

Before this knock Taylor had managed just 21 runs in the three innings of this series.

Tom Latham and Ross Taylor in action for New Zealand against Pakistan in Dubai. Photo: @ICC on twitter

Latham completed his 15th Test fifty with a single but was caught behind off Hasan after Paul Reiffel consulted television umpire Ian Gould for a fair catch.